January the 13th - Chaïm Soutine - Artist Birthday
- LaBelleEpoq
- Jan 12, 2023
- 2 min read
Chaïm Soutine
Jewish, Belarusian, Russian
Born: January 13, 1893
Smilavichy, Belarus
Died: August 9, 1943
Paris, France
Art Movement: Expressionism
Chaïm Soutine was a Russian-born painter known for his expressive and emotional style of painting influenced by the Fauvist movement. Soutine was born in 1893 in Smilavichy, a small town in what is now Belarus. He was the tenth of eleven children in a Jewish family and grew up in poverty.
From a young age, Soutine showed an aptitude for art and began taking art lessons as a teenager. In 1912, he enrolled at the Vilna Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied painting and drawing.
After graduating from the Academy in 1913, Soutine moved to Paris to continue his studies. In Paris, Soutine became part of the vibrant art scene and joined a group of artists known as the School of Paris, which included such figures as Amedeo Modigliani and Pablo Picasso.
Soutine's career began to take off in the 1920s when he gained the support of art dealers and collectors. He had his first solo exhibition in 1923, and his work was included in several important group exhibitions throughout the decade. Soutine's reputation continued to grow, and he became a respected and influential artist at the School of Paris.
Despite this recognition, Soutine's career continued to be marked by financial struggles and he often lived in poverty and was known to take on odd jobs to make ends meet. He was also known to be prone to outbursts and mental health issues. He was sometimes ostracized by his peers, but he was also deeply respected by many of his contemporaries for his talent and dedication to his craft.
During World War II, Paris was occupied by the German army, and the city's art scene was greatly impacted by the conflict. Many artists and collectors fled the city, and the art market was disrupted. Soutine was forced to hide to avoid getting arrested and live clandestinely.
In the late years, Soutine was suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding and while in hiding he had an emergency surgery which led to complications. Chaïm Soutine died on 9 August 1943 at the age of 50 just a few days after the improvised surgery.
Soutine's work was highly influential and helped to pave the way for the development of abstract expressionism. His works continue to be admired in museums and private collections around the world.
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